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Bridge: June 4, 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

Players tend to view big hands through rose-colored glasses: with a pair that comes with magnifying lenses. Players visualize a triumph — bidding and making a slam — if their partner just has a useful card or two.But partners are unreliable, rarely having what you need them to; all too often, they will have nothing. It takes discipline to say no to the possibility of slam when a voice in your head urges you to take a flyer.Today’s South picked up a mammoth hand — 29 points — and bid as if he had more. All of North’s bids were forced; North promised nothing, but South launched into six hearts anyway.West led the jack of diamonds, and South won, drew trumps, cashed the ace of clubs and overtook his queen in dummy. He won a spade finesse with his queen, but East still got two spade tricks.“It was my partner’s fault,” South sighed. “If he’d held the king of spades instead of the king of clubs, I’d have been a heavy ...

Striker Karim Benzema will not return to Real Madrid next season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Karim Benzema will not stay with Real Madrid next season, the club said Sunday.Real Madrid said it reached an agreement with the French striker to “to bring his brilliant and unforgettable time as a player at our club to a close.”Madrid said Benzema “has represented the values” of Madrid and “has earned the right to decide his future.”The announcement comes amid reports that Benzema will play in Saudi Arabia.“Real Madrid would like to show our gratitude and affection to a player who is already one of our greatest legends,” the club said. “Fans all over the world alike have enjoyed his magical and unique football, which has made him one of the great icons of our club and one of the great legends of world football.”The 35-year-old Benzema had been with Madrid since 2009, playing 14 seasons with the club. He helped Madrid win 25 titles, a record for any player with the Spanish powerhouse.Among his titles were five Champions Leagues, five Club World Cups and four Spa...

Golden Knights’ Shea Theodore finds rhythm at right time to start Stanley Cup Final

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Without a goal all playoffs, Shea Theodore found the net just when the Vegas Golden Knights needed it.With Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final tied at 1 midway through the second period, Theodore took a pass at one side of the blue line, skated to the other side, circled back to dangle Florida Panthers forward Anthony Duclair and move into the slot before firing a wrist shot past Sergei Bobrovsky.It was vintage Theodore. And it came at a critical juncture.Theodore’s goal ignited the crowd and, more importantly, his team. He also had an assist in Vegas’ series-opening 5-2 victory Saturday night, which was something of a show of redemption for the 27-year-old defenseman.“He’s one of our best players,” Vegas teammate Jonathan Marchessault said. “You need 20 guys every night to win at that time of the year and tonight was a good team effort and Shea took over today. He’s one of those guys that stepped up tonight and definitely happy to see him on the board.”Theo...

Thousands protest ‘culture of violence’ in Serbia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

Thousands of demonstrators took to Belgrade’s streets on Saturday in the fifth protest against what they claim to be escalating violence spurred on by the country’s ruling party.The movement called “Serbia against violence” was triggered after two mass shootings last month. They are the biggest since demonstrators toppled strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.Protesters expressed anger at the ruling party over a culture of violence they say is spurred by government-controlled media outlets. The demonstrators are asking for the government to revoke the broadcasting licenses of channels promoting violent content, and for a ban on newspapers that attack political dissidents. They are also seeking the resignations of the interior minister and the head of the intelligence services.“I’m here for all of us, especially my children. So they don’t need to protest, but work and live in their country like they should,” 33-year-old mathematician Bojana Popovic told AFP during the rall...

Three sand cat kittens born at North Carolina Zoo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

(CNN) — Animal lovers can now witness three times the cuteness at the North Carolina Zoo.Three sand cat kittens were born on May 11 to first-time mother Sahara, 3, and father, Cosmo, 9, according to the North Carolina Zoo.The weeks-old kittens, who were tiny enough to fit in a person’s palm at birth, are starting to explore their home at the zoo’s Desert Habitat, according to zoo officials.The public will soon get a chance to weigh in on what their names should be in a poll, the zoo said, adding details would be shared on its social media pages and website.The kittens mark the North Carolina Zoo’s third animal birth in less than two weeks. A baby male giraffe calf was born on May 20 and a baby male chimpanzee was born the following day.Cosmo and Sahara were paired through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Sand Cat Species Survival Plan, “which aims to maintain a healthy and genetically diverse population of sand cats to increase their numbers,” the North Carolina Zoo ...

MBTA to conduct evacuation drill at Braintree, will simulate train striking vehicle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

The MBTA will conduct an emergency evacuation drill in Braintree Sunday morning from 10 a.m. to noon.The exercise will simulate a train making contact with a vehicle and derailing on the track next to the main rail.The MBTA says businesses in the area should expect increased activity.

Crews investigating house fire in Medford

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

A home in Medford on Dartmouth Street was a blaze Saturday, leaving significant damage to the roof area and two people sent to the hospital.The fire started on the third floor, and two residents were treated for minor smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. 

Spencer church destroyed in fire relocates for its Sunday services

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

Services for the First Congregational Church of Spencer will be taking place elsewhere Sunday after a blazing fire completely destroyed their 160-year-old church on Friday. Sunday worship will meet at 10 a.m. on Washburn Square at the First Congregational Church in Leicester.Fire officials say they believe that a lightning strike caused the blaze, but the fire is still under investigation. Crews battled the flames for hours, and no injuries were reported.

Khalil Herbert eyes RB1 job in a crowded Chicago Bears backfield picture: ‘We’ve got a really strong group’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

The Chicago Bears figured to be in the market for a running back when David Montgomery exited via free agency and they signed two, adding D’Onta Foreman and Travis Homer.That provided competition for Khalil Herbert, who led all NFL running backs averaging 5.7 yards per carry in 2022, his second season. While that might have seemed like a full backfield, the Bears then dipped into a talented group in the draft, selecting Texas’ Roschon Johnson in the fourth round, an investment that hints to high hopes for his future.“Not really,” Herbert said when asked if the addition of Johnson surprised him. “You know how things go in the NFL now. They’re doing things running back by committee. You need one, two, three really good guys that really carry the rock and there be no drop-off. We’ve got a really strong group. I’m excited to see what we can do.”Running backs coach David Walker said Herbert will get the first reps with the starters as...

Column: Javier Báez is enjoying life again in Detroit — and playing a villain on the South Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:16:57 GMT

Javier Báez took some of his Detroit Tigers teammates on a tour of Chicago during Thursday’s off day, including a boat trip on the lake.Despite being traded during Cubs President Jed Hoyer’s summer sell-off in 2021, Báez still has the city on his mind.“The city and the people, man, the way everybody loves their sports here, not just baseball, and they really care about it, and they support everybody,” he said Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field. “We had an off day and just kind of went around the city, took all the boys. They were really excited at how nice people are here.”Was Báez still recognized on the streets?“A few (times),” he said. “You can’t hide from that.”It’s hard to imagine, but nearly 12 years have passed since former Cubs general manager Jim Hendry drafted Báez with the No. 9 pick of the 2011 draft. In his last act as GM, Hendry signed Baez to a $2.7 million bonus. Four days later,...